Test Your Speed and Agility
Editor's Note: Each Monday of the 2015-2016 football season, MEN'S FITNESS will present a workout (scalable for any fitness level) designed to burn off all the beer and pizza you probably devoured on Sunday while watching all that football. (Props if you ate healthy, though!) You can also do the routine before Monday night's big game as a preemptive measure.
Previous workouts: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 13 | Week 14
Calvin Johnson. Golden Tate. Marques Colston. With gunslingers Matthew Stafford and Drew Brees taking the field, It's safe to say that Monday Night's game between the Detroit Lions and the New Orleans Saints is going to be an offensive shootout. With both teams sitting at the bottom of their divisions and playoff contention no longer on the line, we think that Monday night will see some passing and recieving spectaculars—fantasy fans rejoice.
Some big-time recievers will be shining under the lights—and their speed never ceases to amaze. However, even the most gifted have to adhere to an exercise program that will challenge them beyond their comfort zone. It's time that you step out of your own comfort zone and truly test your speed and agility. For this workout designed by Eraldo Maglara, NSCA-CPT, all you need are cones and an agility ladder—and you'll be doing wonders for your fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Directions: Complete all exercises for a duration of 30 seconds each then rest 90 seconds at the end of the round before starting another set. Perform 6-8 rounds to finish your routine. To increase your intensity level, wear a weighted vest or
THE WORKOUT
ONE LEG & TWO LEG FORWARD HOP
Hop over an imaginary line in front of you on one leg. Hop back with two legs. Switch legs and repeat.
FORWARD SHUFFLES BACK AND FORTH
Explosively shuffle your feet forward and backwards along an imaginary line. Keep your weight forward to stay balanced and allow for more speed and explosiveness when shuffling backwards.
ONE AND TWO FEET IN EACH RUNG (use an agility ladder)
Run the length of the agility ladder by landing one foot in each rung. Turn around, and run the length of the ladder by shuffling both feet through each rung. Alternate in this fashion for 30 seconds.
SIDE SHUFFLES (use an agility ladder)
Shuffle sideways down the length of the ladder.
HOP SCOTCH (use agility ladder)
Starting with your feet outside of the first rung, jump both feet into the first rung, then jump forward with your feet landing outside of the next rung. Perform this pattern continuously to the end of the ladder. Go down the ladder as many times as you can during the 30 second duration.
FORWARD CIRCLE CONE DRILL ( place 6 cones at 5 feet apart)
Keeping your body facing forward at all times, move quickly around the first cone in a forward, clockwise circular motion. Transition to the next cone without interruption, and repeat in this fashion for each cone. Turn around, and perform the drill with a counterclockwise circular motion.
LATERAL CIRCLE CONE DRILL
Keeping your body facing sidways at all times, move quickly around the first cone in a lateral, or sideways circular motion, moving from your left to your right. Transition to the next cone without interruption, and repeat in this fashion for each cone. Then perform the drill in reverse, moving from your right to your left. The exercise should be performed continuously with no stopping or interruption between each circle.
SUICIDE SPRINTS (place 4 cones in a straight line at 15 feet apart from each other)
Begin standing at the first cone. Explosively sprint toward the second cone and touch the ground, then sprint back to the first cone and touch the ground, then sprint to the third cone and touch, then back to the first and touch, followed by a final sprint to the 4th cone and touch, then back to your starting position for the finish. Suicide sprints should be performed continuously, with no stopping. The suck factor should be strong! If you finish one "set" before 30 seconds is up, do it again!
Eraldo Maglara, NSCA-CPT, received his certifications from the National Personal Training Institute (NPTI), as well as the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
